Bihar minister booked over clashes with villagers

Bihar Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Baidyanath Sahni has been named in a first information report (FIR) over violent clashes with villagers in Samastipur district, police said Friday.

Baidyanath Sahni

There were violent protests followed by clashes between the ministers’ supporters and villagers Wednesday against his bid to lay the foundation stone of a petrol pump on a disputed piece of land, said to be belonging to a college.

A total of 12 FIRs have been lodged in this connection. Sahni has been named in one of them, police official Sanjay Kumar said.

Sahni’s father, a ‘College bachao’ group and the block development officer each filed an FIR. The remaining nine FIRs were filed by owners of nine vehicles burnt during the clashes.

Police said hundreds of villagers armed with lathis and sticks opposed the laying of a foundation stone for a petrol pump on what they said was the college land in the Nikashpur village.

Sahni had to take shelter in a college room to escape the ire of the villagers.